Sponsored PostA month ago, I introduced my cat Pepper to mixed feeding. Instead of feeding him one or the other, we let Pepper have both wet and dry food every day. After learning about the health and nutritional benefits that mixed feeding offers, the decision was a no-brainer, and of course, Pepper was happy about the variety of flavours and textures.

Getting started was easy – in addition to wet food twice a day, we added a small bowl of dry food at night. We also switched to Whiskas Perfect Portions wet cat food, which helped us make sure that Pepper’s food is always fresh. Perfect Portions was a great choice for us, since the main ingredient is always a protein like fish, chicken, or beef, and the packs are super convenient to use.

We hoped that mixed feeding and Perfect Portions would help Pepper lose a bit of excess weight, and things were going great for the first few weeks…until we went on vacation. Two weeks later, we came back to find a much plumper Pepper, all thanks to le bf’s mom spoiling him with “all you can eat” buffet of food. Despite this little setback, I’m sure that we’ll get Pepper back on track by using the adorable measuring cup I picked up for dry food, and Perfect Portions wet food. And thanks to mixed feeding, I know he’ll be getting the best nutrition possible along the way. And because Pepper is a generous cat, we partnered up with Whiskas to give away one amazing mixed feeding care package, full of delicious food and toys for your furry best friend. Enter the giveaway after the jump![Read more…]

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Have you ever needed to wear something only to realize that it needs to be dry cleaned? Well, last weekend it happened to me. As I was prepping my outfit the night before a friend’s wedding, I realized that the silk H&M Studio dress I was planning to wear was not in wearable condition and needed to be cleaned STAT! Dry cleaning wasn’t an option (too late!), and so in my desperation I looked at the inside care label only to realize that despite its silk composition, the dress was surprisingly washable! Who would’ve thought?! And so I happily marched downstairs to the laundry room, threw in a Tide POD along with the dress (inside a delicates bag), and just washed it. As you can see, the dress was in perfect condition after the wash – fashion crisis averted!

When you start paying attention to those care labels, you’ll learn that a huge portion of your wardrobe is most likely surprisingly washable too. With #TideChic movement you can save a ton of money on dry cleaning bills, while giving your clothes the TLC they deserve. I’ve been using Tide PODS ever since they first launched, and the convenience as well as excellent results got me hooked…I don’t think I could ever go back to regular detergent. Downy Fabric Conditioner is another fave; it protects clothes at the fiber level and keeps them looking like new, extending the life of your favourite pieces…and it leaves them smelling so good!

So next time you throw that dress in your dry cleaning pile, make sure to check the care label and see if it’s washable…you may just be surprised! But don’t just take my word for it! Comment below if you’d like to try Tide PODS and Downy Fabric Conditioner for yourself, and you could win one of 3 #TideChic prize packs*!

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you already know that I have a soft spot for Minnie Mouse. I’ll take any excuse to rock those mouse ears! Well, this week I have a very special reason to don them – January 22nd is National Polka Dot day, and who rocks those polka dots better than Minnie Mouse?! In fact, Minnie is getting her very own exhibit in Los Angeles to celebrate her signature style! Minnie Rocks the Dots is an interactive fashion and art installation that will take fans on a “journey through the history of Minnie’s influence on fashion and pop culture since her black and white debut in 1928 and evolution into colour”. The exhibit will take place at The Paper Agency, 1050 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, will be free and open to the public on January 23 from 12-8 pm PT.

But even if you’re not anywhere near LA, you can still celebrate Minnie and National Polka Dot day by infusing your outfit with some playful polka dotted items, like this adorable phone case or comfy slippers from Ardene. Or you can enter our giveaway! Details after the jump!

All good things must come to an end, and today is the final day of our annual Style Days of Christmas giveaways. But before I say good-bye and good-luck, there’s still one more giveaway to go, and it’s a good one! Today’s prize is the powerful and stylish LG G4 smartphone ($699). With a 16MP Main Camera, laser detection auto-focus, and OIS 2.0 (an improved optical image stabilizer that reduces camera shake), this phone is guaranteed to take some striking photos. It also features a bigger, clearer and faster 5.5” IPS Quantum Display and a classic slim arc-shaped, ergonomic design, which allows for a natural and firm grip. And it looks so good!

Our annual Style Days of Christmas giveaways are nearing the end, but there’re still 2 more awesome prizes to be won! Today’s giveaway is a $200 gift card from Yorkdale Shopping Centre – the home of Fashion Santa, and my own personal favourite place to shop in Toronto. It truly is a one-stop shop for all your holidays needs – from CHANEL, to H&M, to Zara Home, to AllSaints…just like a Stefon sketch – Yorkdale has EVERYTHING! And this holiday season, one of our lucky readers will win the $200 gift card to spend on whatever their heart desires!

In the meantime, make sure to stop by Yorkdale for a selfie with Fashion Santa (between Harry Rosen and Hudson’s Bay). For every selfie posted to social media using the hashtag #YorkdaleFashionSanta, Yorkdale will donate $1 to Sick Kids Foundation (up to $10,000). Trust me, you don’t want to miss a chance to hang out with the handsome Paul Mason – he’s the dreamiest Santa I know.

We’ve had some great beauty giveaways this holiday season, but in case you wanted even more goodies to pamper your skin, Day 10 giveaway will take care of that. Today’s prize is a gift pack from Laboratoire Dr Renaud – with all products made in Canada, this company has been a leader in innovative skincare and cosmetology for over 50 years!

If you love to have a healthy glow all year long, but don’t want to expose your skin to the sun’s harmful rays, then Laboratoire Dr Renaud Liquid Sunshine Self-Tanner ($40) is the product for you – it gives a natural “healthy”, personalized golden tan, evens, intensifies and extends your natural tan, and is ideal for anyone wishing to avoid sun exposure. Laboratoire Dr Renaud CC Cream Instant Eye Multi-Corrector ($49.95) is formulated with high-definition pigments and ultra-performing, anti-ageing cosmetic ingredients. This CC cream illuminates and decongests the eye contour, stimulates and instantly refreshes thanks to its cool ceramic tip, reduces the appearance of dark circles and shadows, erases signs of fatigue, diminishes the look of wrinkles and fine lines, and detoxifies – so many awesome benefits in one tube! Laboratoire Dr Renaud ExCellience CellClock Cellular Youth Serum ($110) uses the exclusive CellClock Technology, to increase cellular youth and optimize skin regeneration. It promises to reduce the look of wrinkles, improve complexion, firmness and elasticity of skin, all this while regenerating the skin and making it look visibly younger.

If you live in Canada, chances are you stay active in the winter – whether it’s skiing, snowboarding, or simply hiking, most Canadians I know don’t let a little snow stop them from enjoying the great outdoors. And with that in mind, I am really excited to partner up with Icebreaker Merino – a New Zealand-based company that produces merino wool clothing and accessories, on today’s giveaway.

If you didn’t know, merino’s fleece is breathable in summer, insulating in winter, yet exceptionally soft and lightweight, making merino wool products perfect for layering in any kind of weather. And this holiday season, we are giving away an awesome layering pack that includes a Zone Long Sleeve Half Zip ($129.99), Zone Leggings ($119.99), and Ski+ Ultra Light Over The Calf Socks ($29.99). These lightweight, breathable, and odor-resistant pieces aren’t just cute, they will help you stay active and comfortable snow or shine. Want them? Enter after the jump!

Whether you firmly believe that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”, or you simply like a little sparkle now and again, you won’t want to miss out on today’s prize, because we are literally giving away diamonds…aka a $200 Peoples Jewellers gift card. If you’re Canadian, then you’ve definitely heard of Peoples Jewellers, but if you haven’t stepped into a store in a while, let me tell you – there are so many amazing finds, you will want to marry yourself, just so you can get yourself a ring…or two.

There’s the exclusive Vera Wang LOVE Collection, each piece complete with a “something blue” sapphire as the signature of the collection and a symbol of faithfulness and everlasting love. There’s Open Hearts by Jane Seymour – beautiful fashion jewellery that will surely make the perfect present for any important woman in your life without breaking the bank. There’s also my personal favourite – Blue Lagoon by Mikimoto – a collection of timeless pearls, some accented with diamonds and gold, all equally stunning. I also recently learned that at Peoples Jewellers, you can buy Canadian-mined diamonds, Le Vian chocolate diamonds (yum!), and you can even order personalized jewellery for that extra touch of thoughtfulness! Excited yet? So what are you waiting for? Enter below!

If you have a slew of holiday parties to attend, then today’s giveaway is perfect for you! Up for grabs is a $200 gift card from Call It Spring to help you find your perfect pair of party heels, sparkly jewelry, stylish winter accessories, and maybe a gift or two for your loved ones.

This season, I have a ton of Call It Spring favourites, from the subtle sparkle of GINESIO, to the sexy allure of the strappy ADRADONI, to the glittery cool of the COOLA…there’s a pair of shoes out there for any holiday party outfit. And let’s not forget about the bags! My fave tweedy HUPPER style is just roomy enough for all of your essentials, and has a handy cross-body chain so that you can dance the night away, without having to clutch something in your hands all night long. And of course, Call It Spring has a great selection of jewelry that will add just the right amount of glamour to your look without breaking the bank.

It’s Day 6 of our Style Days of Christmas giveaways, and today’s prize is perfect for those of you who love natural, non-irritating beauty products that actually work! As someone with super sensitive skin, I am very excited about this Australian line Dr Roebuck’s being available in Canada, as should you! It all started with what later became knowns as Pure, a miracle moisturizer created by two physician parents for their daughters’ reactive skin. Without any unnecessary fillers, colours, scents and unnatural chemicals, this line is responsibly sourced, ethically created, and never tested on animals. Today’s gift pack* (valued at $200+) includes all of the essentials for your face and body, from cleansing to moisturizing.

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…